In the good old days, ie: before 2007, one wrote a press release and then had it distributed to newspaper and magazine editors. After the press release was faxed, or even snail-mailed, one anxiously chewed one's finger nail, and maybe even telephoned a follow up call to see if there was any hope of your press release being included in the publication you were pursuing.

Now of course, the social media brats with their new-fangled ways of reaching audiences have changed the rules of film publicity. Changed beyond recognition I might ask.want to know more?

These days everything costs money. I was at a film seminar the other day where an independent filmmaker with a £30,000 ($45,000) budget film was being told they needed to spend that much again on marketing.

True, but what if your name isn't Mr Big Bucks and you still need to get your film out there?

Kenneth Branagh presented her with a special BAFTA for supporting
British film over the 50-year span of her reign. Kenneth Branagh told
the crowd that due to her Olympic triumph the sovereign had already been
sent many scripts. “Not all of them are fully funded,” Sir Kenneth
said, “but with Your Majesty attached, they would be bound to get
funding.”

Astonishingly the Queen and Prince Philip mingled with the crowd. I
saw Prince Philip wandering along with a glass of wine and went over to
him and thanked him for the evening and had a totally lucid conversation
with him. Despite rumours to the contrary he is totally 100% there.
Total respect.
Other members of the royal family appeared: the Duke of York; the Countess of Wessex; and Prince Michael of Kent.

The stories could go on and on.

My favourite moment was near the end
when Derek Malcolm came over to me and told me wasn’t going to take the
train back to London – could I find him a ride. By then I sort of knew
who had driven and who hadn’t. The only person who was driving to
Derek’s part of London was Helena Bonham Carter, and the two waltzed out
arm in arm as the lights dimmed.
A happy and personally rewarding night.